Candied Ginger

Ingredients: 350gr fresh ginger, 225gr sugar, 120ml water

Place the ginger in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain, let the ginger cool and peel it. Cut the ginger into approx. 5mm slices.

In a heavy-based saucepan, dissolve the sugar in 120ml of water and cook without stirring over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy.
Add the ginger slices and continue to cook gently,

shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the ginger sticking, until it has absorberd the syrup.

Remove the cooked ginger slices, place them on a wire rack and leave to cool.

Eat in the morning to give you energy, with tea or just when you feel like :)

Pickled mushrooms

Ingredients: 250ml white vinegar, 150ml water, 1 tsp salt, 1 red chilli, 2 tsp ground pepper, 250gr shiitake mushrooms, halved if large

Bring the vinegar and water to a simmer. Add the salt, chilli, pepper and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Sterilize the preseving jar and drain until dry. Transfer the mushrooms, together with all the liquid to the jar. Seal and leave for at least 10 days before serving.

Note: it is a good idea to dress the mushrooms with olive oil when serving, to temper the sharpness of the vinegar. Serve as an appetizer or as part of a buffet lunch.

Yellow Pumpkin Gnocchi

Ingredients: 700gr pumpkin flesh, 20gr Ener-g (equal 1 egg), 100gr white flour, 60gr grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil as needed

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seed and the skin. Mix the flesh in a mixer and cook it for about 5 minutes to let the water in excess evaporate. Let it cool and add the Ener-g (or 1 egg), the grated cheese and the flour bit by bit, stirring continuously.Pay attention there, as you need as much flour as the water contained in the pumpkin. So remember that the dough has to become firm but not hard. Add or stop adding flour accordingly. Adjust with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Boil some water in a large saucepan and add a bit of salt. (approx 1 Tbsp). Pre-heat the oven at 200 C (390 F). Take an oven safe tray and grease it with a little bit of oil.
With a spoon, gather a bit of the compost, as much as to make a 4cm2 minutes starting counting from when the water is boiling again. Arrange them into your tray and continue boiling gnocchi until the dough is finished.

Add grated cheese on top, fresh sage and olive oil. Cook them in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melt. Serve immediately :) gnocco. Put them into the boiling water and cook for

Note: you can prepare this dish a day before or the evening before your guests arrive. Just add the cheese only when you intend to eat it.

Chocolate and mint vegan cake

Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons unsweetned cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, 5/6 fresh finely cutted mint leaves, 2 cups of water, 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons of essence vanilla

Preparation time: 15 min

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients first. (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and mint). Once the mixture is even, mix in wet ingredients. (oil, vinegar, vanilla). Continue mixing until you obtain an even batter with no lumps. Pour into a cake pan and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes. Yummy with vanilla ice cream or just on its own ;-)